The IEEE Chicago Section once again sponsored an award for Future Cities this year. Future Cities is the competition for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders where students design their version of a future city with simulation software, build scale models, write essays, and give oral presentations. Twenty Six teams from nineteen schools competed in the Chicago Regional. In addition to the main event judging, 25 special awards were provided by 22 different professional societies from the Chicago area and 1 national organization. Our Chicago Section sponsored an award for the “Best Electrical/Electronic Solution for Improving the Quality of City Life”. Our award considers innovative thinking in five categories pertaining to the use of electricity. Serving as judges for the IEEE were Norman Phoenix (lead judge), Naveed Naimpour, and Rajesh Azmeera.

The IEEE award was given to the student team from Chicago State University with their city called “Besttil”. Individual plaques and a $25 Amazon Gift Card were given to the three presenting students along with a large plaque for the school to display. The student team from the school

consisted of Zimmie Phillips, Kaleia Maxey, Patricia Malone, Overseeing Teachers Marnie Boyd, Dekonti Davies, and Engineering mentor Cordarryl Williams. Our award was the only award Chicago State won this year. It was nice that they were able to excel in one area, especially since it is our area. The first place winner in the overall competition was Prairie Junior High School with their city called “Resurgence Point”. Prairie Junior High will represent the Chicago Region at the National Competition in Washington D.C. during National Engineers Week.

The Future Cities Competition is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. During the Award Ceremony, it was mentioned that the IEEE was the main organization that started the competition some 25 years ago. While we are just one of the supporting organizations today, we in the IEEE can be proud of what the competition has evolved into today.

The Chicago Regional Future City Competition gives the judges 1 PDH toward their Professional Engineering License continuing education requirement. That is one more good reason for volunteering to help out next year.

By Norm Phoenix